For espresso lovers, picking between 2 popular Breville Barista Express vs Bambino machines can be challenging.
Nevertheless, in any case, the first thing to realize when it comes to espresso is that different machines are designed differently. Breville Barista Express, for example, provides greater control and comes with a built-in grinder. Everything a home espresso enthusiast needs to prepare espresso at home is included in this machine.
In the Breville Bambino, the grinder isn’t included, so it’s more compact and lightweight. It has an easy-to-use button control interface as well as a quick heat-up time function. As a result, it is an ideal choice for a quick and delicious espresso shot along with excellent steamed milk.
Breville Barista Express vs Bambino: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2025-05-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Breville Barista Express vs Bambino: Differences
In order to determine the true winner of these two, I have compared their features side by side. Ultimately, the Barista Express edged out the Bambino with a score of 3-1, for the user-friendly machine.
GRINDER INCLUDED
The Winner: Breville Barista Express
Barista Express is integrated with a conical burr grinder. It helps you make a high-quality cup of coffee by grinding the coffee beans and then transferring them automatically into the portafilter.
There is no need to worry about the type of roast when using the Barista Express. Also, utilizing this machine’s grinder has the advantage of not requiring you to buy a new one. As a fascinating machine, the Barista Express has hoppers for beans, grinders, and frothers. And the good news for a home coffee maker is that it is easy to clean, maintain, and can be used for a long time.
The Bambino is a completely different creature. It includes a shot volume selection but no grinder, so you’ll need to buy one separately. Alternatively, you can purchase pre-ground coffee.
TEMPERATURE
The Winner: Breville Barista Express
With Barista Express, you get an espresso with a balanced flavor. Compared to Bambino, it offers more precise temperature and timing control and more control over water temperature.
Maximum flavor extraction can be ensured with PID technology. Not only can you control the shot pulling time and the shot volume, but you can also control the water temperature.
There are three settings you can adjust in the Barista Express: grinder, time, and temperature. This allows you to adjust your espresso based on your interest. And as a result, making coffee at home by yourself will become more enjoyable, right?
Pressure is also helpful because it allows you to precisely observe the results of your experiments. Now you can fine-tune on an intuitive and user-friendly machine.
PID technology on the Bambino is likewise extremely precise. The only issue is that it is automatic, which means it cannot be customized. Moreover, it is provided with pre-infusion technology, a low-pressure 8 bar system, and a heating system called ThermoJet, which makes this machine work efficiently and quickly heats water to the temperature your brew needs of seconds.
Although it is fast, Bambino’s precise control is lost. Therefore, I suggest you buy this machine if you don’t want to spend much time making a cup of coffee at home.
PERFORMANCE
The Winner: Breville Barista Express
With the Barista Express, you can quickly and accurately program the machine. It helps you make coffee in minutes by changing the grind, grind time, shot volume, and temperature. The result is that brewing the perfect cup of tea becomes a joy once you’re familiar with the basics.
Thanks to its outstanding programmability feature, Breville Barista Express provides you with a pamphlet that has all the useful information for a beginner. Now, pulling your first espresso is no longer difficult.
Barista Express’ programmability, however, has only one drawback: it does not have an automatic shutdown timer.
When referring to the Bambino, it features four manual control buttons that can be pressed for manual operation. It can be used for each of the following: single and double espressos, steam, and hot water. Even if your machine is turned off, the machine will automatically remember the time for the next shot if you manually program the shot volume. However, the Bambino does not have temperature control.
MILK FROTHING
The Winner: Breville the Bambino
The Barista Express comes with a standard micro-foam milk frother made of stainless steel and plastic. It produces a dense foam that is ideal for making lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites. However, this machine does not meet that requirement for those who want a cup of Latte Art because it cannot produce a rich cream.
On the other hand, Breville’s Bambino can help you master latte art. Though it has a short steam wand, it is sturdy nevertheless. And as the Barista Express does, it also dispenses hot water.
Cleaning the Barista Express steam wand is one of its most difficult tasks. The reason is that immediately after use, milk solidifies on the wand. So, to remove any clumps from the surface of your wand, dampen a towel and brush it over it for a few seconds.
Using the Bambino steam wand, the steam can be generated at a temperature of as high as 266 degrees Fahrenheit. There are proper temperature controls in this ThermoJet Steam Wand so that you can make barista-quality lattes/cappuccinos without any problems.
Breville Barista Express vs Bambino: Similarities
As a first point of the similarities, both espresso machines can create creamy and rich coffee that is strong in aroma and color. And on the top of the espresso is a thick layer of crema, making it ideal for use in a black coffee or latte cup.
The machines taste espresso intensely because they douse out between 19 and 22 grams of freshly ground coffee.
Another feature these 2 coffee machines also share is the portafilter. Both of them have a 54mm portafilter which is constructed of superior material without any plastic parts inside. Hence, I get the impression that it is not flimsy and feels very solid.
Quick Rundown Of Breville Barista Express BES870XL
- The Breville Barista Express delivers third wave specialty coffee at home using the 4 keys formula and is part of the Barista Series that offers all in one espresso machines with integrated grinder to go from beans to espresso in under one minute
- DOSE CONTROL GRINDING: Integrated precision conical burr grinder grinds on demand to deliver the right amount of freshly ground coffee directly into the portafilter for your preferred taste with any roast of bean
- OPTIMAL WATER PRESSURE: Low pressure pre-infusion gradually increases pressure at the start and helps ensure all the flavors are drawn out evenly during the extraction for a balanced tasting cup
- PRECISE ESPRESSO EXTRACTION: Digital temperature control (PID) delivers water at precisely the right temperature, ensuring optimal espresso extraction
- MANUAL MICROFOAM MILK TEXTURING: The powerful steam wand performance allows you to hand texture microfoam milk that enhances flavor and enables creation of latte art
Last update on 2025-05-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Breville Bambino BES450
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References:
- Breville Barista Express from Breville: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes870.html
- Breville Bambino from Breville: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes450.html
I’m Floyd J. Alcock, an experienced barista with a deep love for coffee. I curate personalized coffee experiences, guiding customers through diverse flavor profiles and suggesting ideal brewing methods. My extensive knowledge of espresso machines enables me to recommend the best equipment to match specific needs and budgets. Sharing my expertise and passion with coffee enthusiasts brings immense satisfaction. I look forward to continuing my journey of coffee discovery with every customer I serve, fostering connections over a shared love for this magical beverage.